Universal die



E. H. BRANSON.

v UNIVERSAL DIE. APPLlcAloMnEn sEPLa. 1918. RENEwED 1111111. 19, 1920.

Edward Hranson,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD I-I. BRANSON, OF IITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, .19. CCRPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

UNIVERSAL DIE.

Application led September 3, 1918, Serial N0. 252,487.

To @ZZ lwho/m, 'it may cof/wcm Be it known that I, EDWARD H. BRANsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Dies, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dies, and has for its object an arrangement of parts capable of being adjusted to give a stamping of a given form having any desired dimensions.

More especially my invention relates to a universal die and has for its specific object the provision of an arrangement of parts for carrying into effect the method of producing .shaped punchings, with any given desired dimensions, disclosed in the application for Letters Patent Serial No. 244,431 filed by M. O. Troy on July 11, 1918.

In the application above referred to, it has been proposed to have the stock of metal fed to an L-shaped die of fixed dimensions in such a manner that by merely varying the distance along the stock to be fed, the direction of feed, and the proportions on the two sides of the knee of the L a punching of any desired dimensions may be had.

In accordance with my invention I have provided a die plate, which coperates with a fixed L-shaped punch, with an independently adjustable stop and guide; thereby controlling the three variable factors determining the dimensions of the punching to be produced by only two independently adjustable elements'.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of my invention reference should be had to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows in side elevation a coperating punch and die having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2h is a plan view of the die plate showing a section of the die taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 show details in section and in elevation respectively.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, 10 denotes a stationary member, or die yplate having therein an L-shaped cavity K bounded by die steels or members 12, 13, 14 and 15 secured about the outer portion of its periphery by screws S as shown in Fig. 42,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Renewed March 19, 1920. Serial No. 367,123.

plain cast metal, such as iron, of which the y member 10 is made.

The member 10 has secured therein a number of guide posts 17 adapted to vguide the movable member 18 in executing reciprocating movements when driven by any suitable means such as the ram of a punch press.

The member 18 carries the punches 19, 20, 21 and 22 (shown in section in Fig. 2) which coperate with the edges of the die steels 12, 13, 14 and 15 respectively to shear off the punching from the stock as itis advanced under the punches at each successive stroke of the ram. The punches 19 and 22, however, are not engaged in the normal shearing operation but serve chiefly as guides for end portions of the punch.

In addition to the cavity K, the member 10 is preferably provided with three or more minor cavities, such as 'shown at 23, 24 and 25 which serve chiefly as clearance space for securing the eXact adjustment of the die steels.

As before remarked, the dimensions of the punching sheared offl at each stroke of the punch, that is the length and width of each leg of the L-punching, are determined by the distance the stock is advanced at each stroke, the direction of feed and the proportions on each side of the knee of the L- shaped die, which knee is here shown at 26.`

Two of these variable factors are controlled by the adjustable guide shown at 30, namely the direction of feed and proportions on each side of the knee 26.

The third of these factors, namely the distance the stock is to be advanced at each stroke of the punch, is taken care of by the stops 31 and 32. It is of course clear that one of these stops is sufficienty to take care of this factor in determining the size of the punching to be produced, but it is preferable to provide two of them in order that each leg of` the punching may be advanced against a solid abutment during the punchf4 ing process.

The adjustable guide 30 consists of a plate having a groove 33 for the edge of the stock.

ing through a slotted portion thereof and engaging in a depressed portion of the stationary member l0. This depressed portion is shown at L18 and is located as much below a' the level of the plane of the die steels as the post 234i is high so that the groove 33 is operative substantially in the plane of the die steels in guiding the stock to be punched. Secured to the post 3l is the slotted arc member 3T to which thegroove-plate of the guide 30 is adjustably secured by the bolt 38 assing through the arcuate slot 39 (see lig. 2). It is thus seen that the bolts 3o cooperate with the slot in base 35 to permit the guide 30 to be adjusted across the plane of the die steels to proportion the amount of the stock that is to lie on each side of the knee 26, vwhile the bolt 3S coopera es with slot 39 to `accomplish the adjustment of the guide 30 to secure a desired direction of feed.

The stops 31 and 32 are each made in the 'form of a slotted plate, as shown at Ll0, lwhose edge next to the die steels is preferably provided with a reinforcing abutment asshown at 41 in F ig. 3.

The plates 40 are also preferably provided on 'their underside with splines 42 coperating with grooves 43 in the member 10 to insure their movement in straight lines to and from the die steels. rlhesestops are secured in adjusted position by means of bolts 114 passing'through the slots in the plates ll() to engage' with .the member 10.

Either of the stops 31 or 32 may be adjusted to `provide the desired advance of the stock, the other being subsequently7 adjusted to cooperate at its proper f distance fromthe die.

In operation, theV stops andguide having beenI previously adjusted either by calculation or' by a cut and try method, the stock to bestruck into Lpunchings is fed under the punches ateach successiveupward moveiment of thefpunch so that its edge `lies in the-groove 33 lthrouggfhmit its length at all times. The=feedingmovement is continued f.' until the stock abuts hard against the abutting edges 41 of the' stops Bliand 32, by whichtime the punch should make its down- While l have 'here shown an embodiment i f of my invention which is, at'present the best.

I imeans known to mesforcarryingthe same r-yllrnot mean to be limited thereby tothe prevvcise details here disclosed lsinceV lobvious alterations thereof will appear to those 6'5i1skilled in :this art,nor in the. choice or recogyward"movement to shear off an L-punching.V

into effect, l would have it .understood that` "this is merely'illustrative-and that l dol nized equivalents except as defined in my claims hereunto annexed.

l.Vliet l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is z- 1. The combination with a relatively movable die and punch having cooperating L-shaped conligurations of fixed dimensions, of means for adjusting the distance the stock can be advanced during a stroke, means for `adjusting the proportions of the stock on the two sides of the linee of the L, and means` for adjusting and controlling the angular direction inwhichthe stock is fed under said punch.

2. The combination with a relatively movable'die and punch having cooperating L-shaped configurations of fixed dimensions, of means for adjusting the distance-the stock can be advanced during a stroke, and a coinbined means for adjustingA the proportions of thel stock on thetwo sides of the knee of the L and for adjusting the angular direction in which the stock is fed under said punch.

3. The combination with a relatively movable die and punch having cooperating L-shaped configurations of fixed dimensions, of means for adjusting the distance the stock can be advanced during astroke, and a pivoted` guide movable laterally inthe plane of' the ldie for both adjusting the proportions of the stock on the two sides of the knee of the L and for adjusting the angular ydirection in which the stock is 'fed under the punch. 1

4. rifheI combination with a relatively movable punch and die having cooperating L-shaped configurations of lined dimensions, of a base membercontaining said die, a stop removably secured f to saidY member and movable toward and from a leg of the L, and a swiveled guide having a slotted base secured to said Vmember so as to adjust the proportions of stock onv the two sides of the Yknee of the L and the angular direction of feed to the punch. j

5. The combination with amrelatively lmovable punch and :die having cooperating L-shaped configurations of fixeddimensions, of a basemember `containing.said die, a stop removably secured to saidfzmeinber and movable toward and'from a leg of the L, and a swiveled guide slidably secured to a depressed portion ofV said'inember so that said guidewturns substantially in the plane of the die.

6; The 'combination with a relatively movable die and punch of- L-shaped con- `liguration:Whose.sides extendv beyond the edge of the stock to be punched, offmeans affording the individual ladjustment of three independent .degrees offfreedom in'rthe feed of said stock.

In witness whereof, lhave hereunto set my hand this 28th day of August, 1918..

EDWARDvH.- ERAN SON. 

